Court clerk arrested for shooting shooter

Police have arrested a legal clerk for shooting a defendant who opened fire in a courtroom, killing a plaintiff and his lawyer.

Police say 22 year old Thanakorn Theerawaradom, a clerk to the plaintiff’s lawyers, was arrested Wednesday after he used a police officer’s gun to shoot and kill former police general Thanin Chantratip.

This contradicts earlier reports that Thanin was shot by the policeman in the Chanthaburi courtroom.

Thanakorn has been charged with murder, but a spokesman wouldn’t say whether it was self defense or how Thanakorn got the gun from the police officer.

“We have to wait for more details,” police say. “Thanakorn will have to go through the legal process and we will also call in the officer whose gun it was.”

CCTV footage shows Thanin smuggled the pistol into the courtby waiting for a security guard to leave his post for the morning flag raising ceremony, then easily brought the gun into the building.

Thanin’s ex-wife claims he was waiting to surrender himself but was shot down before the police arrived.

Thanin had been fighting civil suit over a 608 hectares land plot in Chanthaburi for more than eight years.

A spokesman for the court of says the shooting happened before court was in session, when Thanin and the plaintiff, Bancha Porameesanaporn were arguing. Thanin drew his gun and shot Bancha, his wife, and their lawyers.

Bancha, a well known lawyer whose clients included a former national police chief and former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra, later died at hospital, along with one of the lawyers. His wife and the other lawyer were severely injured. Thanin also died at the hospital.

A doctor said Wednesday that the wife and lawyer are in stable condition.

SOURCE: khaosodenglish.com